Grilled Summer Pizza - Caity
I've always been a big fan of pizza. I told my mother-in-law, Stephanie, just yesterday that I've never met a piece of pizza I didn't like. Which isn't entirely true. I've eaten some bad pizzas. But I still ate them! THAT is how much I love pizza. Brendan and I started making pizza at home a few years ago (White Pizzas with Arugula) and I honestly expected that it would never be as good as it is from a restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised that you CAN make pizza as good, if not better, than many restaurants.
White Pizzas with Arugula is our standard favorite home-made pizza. It tastes good after a 14-hour shift, and it tastes good on a rainy night at home, and it tastes good in front of a movie on Friday night. Needless to say, we love it. It's our "good any time, anywhere" pizza. When we moved to Utah in 2015, we added one more pizza to our repertoire based on my favorite pizza from Portland's Lovely 50/50 restaurant (recipe will come one day!). That has become our favorite "Winter" pizza. And a few summers ago, we tried something outside the box (oven more like) and grilled pizza. WOW DEE DOW! It's a game changer! This is officially our favorite "Summer" Pizza
Mozzarella cheese, sweet summer corn, homegrown cherry tomatoes, Daily's bacon, fresh basil from the garden were all readily available to us when we created this pizza. This summer I tried adding some zucchini and it was great! The raw pizza sauce comes from The Kitchn website and I love the fresh taste with the pizza. I have to insist you make it with this pizza because I think a cooked sauce would taste too heavy. The raw sauce cooks slightly on the grill and tastes fresh and like summer.
Grilling pizza is exceptionally delicious in the summer but requires you to work efficiently and quickly. The key is to have everything prepped and ready next to the grill so you have everything you need and room to work nearby. I also recommend making each pizza one at a time. They cook so quickly and need to be watched carefully. And while I certainly am capable of making the pizzas alone, I find it easier to have Brendan's help so don't be afraid to put your guests to work!
I decided to get back on the blog horse after we made these Grilled Summer Pizzas up at Brendan's family's cabin on Flathead Lake in Montana. We made enough pizza to feed a small army and it was so perfect eating it on the back patio with the family around and Flathead Lake in the background. The pizza was a big hit and a great way to celebrate everyone being together. Nothing is more "family style" than pizza! Even though she didn't know it yet, we were also all celebrating the fact that Brendan's brother, Bruce, was proposing to his girlfriend, Taylor, the next day (congratulations again you guys!!!). It was a wonderful memory and in my mind, this pizza will always be a part of that beautiful weekend. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Two years ago: Erin's Pasta Salad, End of Summer Ratatouille
Three years ago: Stone Fruit Sangria, Heirloom Caprese Pasta
Four years ago: Salmon with Blackberry Chimichurri, Roasted Fairytale Eggplants, Summer Zucchini Noodle Salad, Dutch Baby Pancake
Five years ago: Summer Squash with Browned Butter and Thyme
Serves 3-4
what you'll need:
1 ball of your favorite pizza dough, (I usually do homemade or from Whole Foods)
1 recipe of "Quick Tomato Sauce"
3-4 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed
3 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoesc, halved or quartered
2 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced thinly
1 cup diced zucchini, sautéed for a few minutes on the stove
2-3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil
equipment:
brush for olive oil
metal tongs
metal spatula
oven mitt, optional
Prepare all your ingredients and have them ready next to the grill. Set up a table near the grill so you have easy access to everything and room to work. Heat the grill as hot as it will go. I can get ours to about 550 F with the lid closed and all the burners on. If you have a choice to cook over direct or indirect heat, grill the pizza over direct heat.
Separate your pizza dough into 2 equal balls and either stretch by hand or roll out until the dough is as thin as you can get it without tearing. As you can see by the photos, our pizzas are always very uniquely shaped.
Okay so you're ready to grill these pizzas right??? Start by brushing one side of the pizza dough with olive oil. This is the size you will lay down on the grill.
Lay one dough round olive oil side down on the grill over direct heat. Carefully brush the top side with a thin layer of olive oil. Let the dough cook for about 3 minutes, with the lid off, or 1-2 minutes with the lid on. Use the tongs to lift up the dough occasionally to check for burning. You want grill marks and it should be just barely crispy.
Using the tongs, remove the dough to a large cutting board with the cooked side of dough facing up. Quickly top the pizza, starting with a thin layer of of Pizza Sauce, then cheese, followed by corn, tomatoes, bacon, and zucchini. Save the basil for later.
Carefully return the pizza to the grill either using a metal spatula or by sliding it off your cutting board. I generally use a combination of the two techniques.
Cook with the lid down for 3-5 minutes, using the tongs to lift the bottom to check for charring. It will be done with the edges are all crisp and the cheese is melted. Drag the pizza off the grill and repeat with your second dough round.
Top cooked pizzas with basil, cut into pieces and serve hot! I like to serve with a small bowl of the leftover pizza sauce for dunking.
One year ago: Frijol con Puerco/Pork and Black Bean Dinner
Two years ago: Erin's Pasta Salad, End of Summer Ratatouille
Three years ago: Stone Fruit Sangria, Heirloom Caprese Pasta
Four years ago: Salmon with Blackberry Chimichurri, Roasted Fairytale Eggplants, Summer Zucchini Noodle Salad, Dutch Baby Pancake
Five years ago: Summer Squash with Browned Butter and Thyme
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